SOL LS.6 Cycles and Systems

SOL LS.6 Cycles Life Science Middle Home

SOL LS.6 - Cycles and Systems
LS.6 Organisms within an ecosystem are dependent on one another and on nonliving components of the environment. the carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles; interactions resulting in a flow of energy and matter throughout the system; complex relationships within terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems; and energy flow in food webs and energy pyramids. Cycles Many important elements and compounds cycle through the living and nonliving components of the environment as a chain of events that continuously repeats. Materials are recycled and made available through the action of decomposers. understand water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles (see animations above and left) and the roles of organisms from bacteria and fungi to third-order consumers in these cycles. Systems In order to understand how an ecosystem functions, one must understand the concept of a system and be able to envision models of systems. To analyze the interactions resulting in a flow of energy and matter throughout the ecosystem, one must identify the elements of the system and interpret how energy and matter are used by each organism. understand terrestrial (land), freshwater, and marine (ocean/ saltwater) ecosystems. Energy enters an ecosystem through the process of photosynthesis and is passed through the system as one organism eats and is, in turn, eaten. This energy flow can be modeled through relationships expressed in food webs. The amount of energy available to each successive trophic level (producer, first-order consumer, second-order consumer, third-order consumer) decreases. This can be modeled through an energy pyramid, in which the producers provide the broad base that supports the other interactions in the system. understand producers or first-, second-, or third-order consumers. relationship between a population’s position in a food web and its size (smaller eaten by larger). understand food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids to analyze how energy and matter flow through an ecosystem. (the shape of an energy pyramid shows that only about 10% of energy is available at the higher level.)

SOL LS.6 - Cycles and Systems

the carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles;
interactions resulting in a flow of energy and matter throughout the system;
complex relationships within terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems; and
energy flow in food webs and energy pyramids.

Cycles

Many important elements and compounds cycle through the living and nonliving components of the environment as a chain of events that continuously repeats.

Materials are recycled and made available through the action of decomposers.

understand water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles (see animations above and left) and the roles of organisms from bacteria and fungi to third-order consumers in these cycles.

Systems

In order to understand how an ecosystem functions, one must understand the concept of a system and be able to envision models of systems.
To analyze the interactions resulting in a flow of energy and matter throughout the ecosystem, one must identify the elements of the system and interpret how energy and matter are used by each organism.

understand terrestrial (land), freshwater, and marine (ocean/ saltwater) ecosystems.

Energy enters an ecosystem through the process of photosynthesis and is passed through the system as one organism eats and is, in turn, eaten. This energy flow can be modeled through relationships expressed in food webs.

The amount of energy available to each successive trophic level (producer, first-order consumer, second-order consumer, third-order consumer) decreases. This can be modeled through an energy pyramid, in which the producers provide the broad base that supports the other interactions in the system.
understand producers or first-, second-, or third-order consumers.
relationship between a population’s position in a food web and its size (smaller eaten by larger).
understand food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids to analyze how energy and matter flow through an ecosystem. (the shape of an energy pyramid shows that only about 10% of energy is available at the higher level.)